Gaming machine with interactive bonusing

ABSTRACT

A gaming machine ( 10 ) has a display ( 14 ) and a game controller ( 30 ) arranged to control images ( 18 ) on the display ( 14 ). The game controller ( 30 ) is arranged to play a game ( 16 ) wherein one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display ( 14 ) and, if a predefined winning event or combination of events results, the machine ( 10 ) awards a prize. A predetermined symbol from a set of symbols of the game is selected as a bonus symbol. The display ( 14 ) is an interactive display means such that, when at least one of the bonus symbols appears then, by a player touching a part of the display ( 14 ) overlying the, or each, occurrence of the bonus symbol, a bonus prize is revealed in respect of the, or each, bonus symbol.

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to a gaming machine. More particularly,the invention relates to a gaming machine and to an improvement to agame played on such a gaming machine.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0003] Players who regularly play gaining machines quickly tire ofparticular games and therefore it is necessary for manufacturers ofthese machines to develop innovative game features which add interest tothe games. In so doing, it is hoped to keep players amused and thereforewilling to continue playing the game as well as to attract next players.

[0004] Also, with the growth that has occurred in the gaming machinemarket, there is intense competition between manufacturers to supplyvarious existing and new venues. When selecting a supplier of gainingmachines, the operator of a venue will often pay close attention to thepopularity of various games with their patrons. Therefore, gamingmachine manufacturers are keen to devise games which are popular withthe players as a mechanism for improving sales, retaining customers andattracting new customers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to the invention, there is provided a gaining machinehaving a display means and a game control means arranged to controlimages displayed on the display means, the game control means beingarranged to plait a game wherein one or more random events are caused tobe displayed on the display means and, if a predefined winning event orcombination of events results, the machine awards a prize, the gamingmachine being characterised in that a predetermined symbol from a set ofsymbols of the game is selected as a bonus symbol and in that thedisplay means is all interactive display means such that, when at leastone of the bonus symbols appears then, by a player touching a part ofthe display means overlying the, or each, occurrence of the bonussymbol, a bonus prize is revealed in respect of the, or each, bonussymbol.

[0006] The set of symbols may be a set of standard symbols of the gameor a predetermined subset of that set of standard symbols.

[0007] The, or each bonus symbol may be revealed in an animated mannersuch as the symbol which was touched by the player transforming intoanother symbol or indicium representative of a prize.

[0008] Further, it is to he understood that, in this specification, theterm “symbol” relates to a symbol on a spinning reel-type game and, moreparticularly, a video simulation of such a spinning reel game, a card ofa card game, a ball of a Kenio game, or the like.

[0009] The feature may, be applicable in respect of a base game.Instead, or in addition, the feature may be applicable in respect of afeature game which is triggered upon fulfillment of predeterminedconditions. For example, in respect of a spinning reel-type game, thefeature game may be triggered upon the occurrence of three predeterminedspecial symbols.

[0010] The feature allowing the platter to touch the screen to revealthe, or each, bonus symbol may be triggered by a predetermined event.Then, after the predetermined event has occurred, the control means mayselect a symbol from the set of symbols, or the subset of the set ofsymbols, to be the bonus symbol. Instead, the feature allowing theplayer to touch the screen to reveal the, or each, bonus symbol may beapplicable for all games played.

[0011] In another embodiment, the, or each, bonus symbol may be selectedby the player.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention is now described by way of example with referenceto the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

[0013]FIG. 1 shows a three dimensional view of a gaining machine, inaccordance with the invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the gamingmachine:

[0015]FIGS. 3a to 3 d show display screens of a first embodiment of agame played on the gaining machine of FIG. 1:

[0016]FIGS. 4a to 4 h show display screens of a second embodiment of agame played on the gaming machine:

[0017]FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of the game of FIG. 3; and

[0018]FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of the game of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates a gainingmachine, including a game, in accordance with the invention. The machineto includes a console 12 having a video display unit 14 on which a game16 is displayed, in use. The game 16 is a spinning reel game whichsimulates the rotation of a number of spinning reels 18. A keypad 20,arranged on a midtrim 21 of the console 12, facilitates playing of thegame 16.

[0020] The machine 10 includes a top box 22 on which artwork 24 iscarried. The artwork 24 includes paytables, details of bonus awards,etc.

[0021] A coin tray 26 is mounted beneath the console 12 for cash payoutsfrom the machine 10.

[0022] Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a control means orcontrol circuit 30 is illustrated. A program which implements the gameand user interface is run on a processor 32 of the control circuit 30.The processor 32 forms part of a controller 34 which drives the screenof the video display unit 14 and which receives input signals fromsensors 36. The sensors 36 include sensors 36 associated with the keypad20 and touch sensors mounted in a screen of the video display unit 14.

[0023] The controller 34 also receives input pulses from a mechanism 38indicating that a player has provided sufficient credit to beginplaying. The mechanism 38 may be a coin input chute 38.1 (FIG. 1), abill collector 38.2. a credit card reader (not shown), or any other typeof validation device.

[0024] Finally, the controller 34 drives a payout mechanism 40 which,for example, may be a coin hopper for feeding coins to the coin tray 26to pay a prize once a predetermined combination of symbols carried onthe reels 18 appears on the screen 16 or some other prize winning eventoccurs.

[0025] With a game played on the gaining machine 10 of the invention,for example, a spinning reel game, a bonusing feature is triggered by apredetermined event or, instead, may exist for all games played. Forease of explanation, the invention will be described below withreference to its application to a spinning reel type game. It will,however, be appreciated that the invention is applicable to other gamingmachine games such as card games, ball-type games such as Keno games, orthe like.

[0026] In use, the game commences in a conventional way upon actuationof the game via the keypad 20. The player is given the opportunity totouch one or more of the standard symbols on the actual reels 18 and, ifnecessary, is prompted to do so. When the player touches the screenoverlying the appropriate symbols, this is sensed by the sensors 36 ofthe screen. The sensors 36 send the appropriate command to the processor32. The processor 32 then causes prizes to be revealed in the samelocation as the touched symbol by way of an animation technique whichtransforms the symbol to a win-indicating indicium or by using someother, similar method. Similarly, the symbol may transform intosomething other than an indicium representing a win. For example, thesymbol may transform into one representing another bonus symbol.

[0027] A first embodiment of the game 16 is now described with referenceto FIGS. 3a to 3 d of the drawings. In this embodiment, the result of abase game is shown in FIG. 3a of the drawings. While this embodiment isdescribed with reference to the game 16 being a base game, it will beappreciated that the game 16 could also be a feature game resulting froma base game.

[0028] One of the symbols is designated as a bonus symbol. Thedesignation of the bonus symbol could occur randomly or by somepredetermined process. Instead, the bonus symbol may be selected by theplayer. A further possibility is that the bonus symbol may be fixed inthat the same symbol is always the bonus symbol for every base game orfeature game, as the case may be.

[0029] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3a to 3 d of the drawings,the J symbol 42 is selected as the bonus symbol. When the screen of FIG.3a is displayed, the player touches the screen of the video display unit14 overlying one of the J symbols 42 to reveal a first bonus prize 44,as illustrated in FIG. 3b of the drawings. The screen overlying a secondof the J symbols 42 is then touched by the player to reveal a secondbonus prize 46 as illustrated in FIG. 3c of the drawings. The screenoverlying the third J symbol 42 is touched by the player to reveal afinal bonus prize 48.

[0030] Referring now to FIGS. 4a to 4 h of the drawings, a secondembodiment of the game 16 is illustrated. In this embodiment, the screendisplay illustrated in FIG. 4a of the drawings is the result of a basegame. The presence of 3 S symbols 50 causes a second screen feature gameto commence having a screen display 52 as shown in FIG. 4b of thedrawings. It is to be noted in FIG. 4b of the drawings that the initialscreen display 52 of the second screen feature game comprises three rows54. 56 and 58 of symbols The symbols in the row 54 are, initially,visually the same as each other. Similarly, the symbols in the row 56are, initially, visually the same as each other and the symbols in therow 58 are also, initially, visually the same as each other.

[0031] When the screen display 52 occurs, the player touches the screenoverlying one symbol from each row 54, 56 and 58. Hence, when the playertouches the screen overlying one of the symbols in the row 54. theselected symbol transforms into a free game indicator as shown at 60 inFIG. 4c of the drawings. This indicates to the player the number of freegames which the player has won.

[0032] The player then touches the screen overlying one of the symbolsin the row 56. The selected symbol transforms itself as shown at 62 inFIG. 4d of the drawings to reveal a free game multiplier. The multipliershows the number by which all wins will be multiplied during thesequence of free games.

[0033] Finally, the player touches the screen overlying one of thesymbols in the row 58 to cause the selected symbol to transform itselfinto a symbol 64 as shown ill FIG. 4e of the drawings. This symbol 64indicates to the player which symbol in the free games which will followwill be a bonus symbol.

[0034] Upon completion of the steps shown in FIGS. 4c to 4 e of thedrawings, a series of free games commences. The number of free gameswhich the player is awarded is as indicated by the symbol in the row 54of the second screen 52 revealed by the player having touched that partof the screen.

[0035] The screen of one of the free games is shown in FIGS. 4f to 4 hof the drawings and is designated generally by the reference numeral 66.

[0036] When the reels 18 of the first free game cease spinning to revealthe screen 66, after all applicable wins have been paid and have beenmultiplied by the multiplier of the selected symbol in the row 56 of theinitial screen display of the second screen feature 52. the playertouches the screen overlying the first special symbol 68 to reveal whatbonus prize has been awarded. As shown ill FIG. 4g. a bonus prize oftell credits is awarded. The player then touches the screen overlyingthe second special symbol 70 to reveal a further bonus prize asillustrated in FIG. 4h of the drawings.

[0037] The free games continue in this manner until all the free gameshave been awarded after which the game returns to the normal spinningreel game without bonuses until the next feature is triggered.

[0038] Hence, it is an advantage of the invention that a gaming machine10 is provided with more player interaction which, the applicantbelieves, will result ill greater player interest.

[0039] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art thatnumerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention asshown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodimentsare, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive.

1. A gaming machine having a display means and a game control meansarranged to control images displayed on the display means, the gamecontrol means being arranged to play a game wherein one or more randomevents are caused to be displayed on the display means and, if apredefined winning event or combination of events results, the machineawards a prize, the gaming machine being characterised in that apredetermined symbol from a set of symbols of the game is selected as abonus symbol and in that the display means is an interactive displaymeans such that, when at least one of the bonus symbols appears then, bya player touching a part of the display means overlying the, or each,occurrence of the bonus symbol, a bonus prize is revealed in respect ofthe, or each, bonus symbol.
 2. The gaining machine of claim 1 in whichthe, or each, bonus symbol is revealed in an animated manner.
 3. Thegaming machine of claim 1 or claim 2 in which the interactive displaymeans is applicable in respect of a base game.
 4. The gaming machine ofany one of the preceding claims in which the interactive display meansis applicable in respect of a feature game which is triggered uponfulfillment of predetermined conditions in a preceding base game.
 5. Thegaming machine of any one of the preceding claims in which the featureallowing the player to touch the screen to reveal the, or each, bonussymbol is triggered by a predetermined event.
 6. The gaming machine ofclaim 5 in which, after the predetermined extent has occurred, thecontrol means selects a symbol from a set of the symbols to be the bonussymbol.
 7. The gaming machine of any one of claims 1 to 4 inclusive inwhich the feature allowing the player to touch the screen to reveal the,or each, bonus symbol is applicable for all games played.
 8. The gainingmachine of any one of claims 1 to 5 inclusive or claim 7 in which the,or each, bonus symbol is selected by the player.